PreS-K Yet another title to add to the glut of new baby books, this time from the point of view of the baby inside. The infant introduces herself, explains that the parents don't know her name because they don't know if she is a girl or boy, and then proceeds to list all of the things that is she doing when her mom says she is eating, sleeping, or kicking. Her activities include everything from flying in a rocket ship to doing yoga to dancing. Finally, in a switch from past to present tense she is "very very busy" being born. And on the final page, with no transition: "Hello Molly." Frenetic acrylic illustrations feature round-headed, pointy-nosed people who all look constantly delighted. The artwork is large and bright, mixing single full pages and spreads with spot art, which effectively encourages page turns and narrative flow. Both the father and the very pregnant mother are depicted as active, involved parents, and the busy pictures contain a lot of movement. Unfortunately, the story doesn't really work. The awkward tense change, the flips between total fantasy and semi-reality, and the uninspired text simply don't add up. Barbara Park's "Ma! There's Nothing to Do Here!" (Random, 2008) treads similar ground with a better-flowing text."Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.
A baby in utero addresses the reader, countering her mother's stock answers ("The baby's sleeping," "The baby's eating") to the persistent question "What's the baby doing?" The layouts may confuse some kids: outsize illustrations from the baby's perspective ("I wasn't eating. How can you eat when you are playing baseball?") face "real-life" family scenes.
Be the first reader to comment.
Comment Policy:
Comment should not be empty !!!